LETTERS

School Administrator, August, 2000

A Fan of Frosty

In his guest column, "Far From 'Godless' Institutions" (March 2000), Frosty Tray is right on target. Troy points to the self-serving criticism of public education by politicians and religious leaders who fail to realize the absolute necessity of supporting the one remaining national institution that serves to tie all Americans together. While political parties and divisive theologies strive to proselytize the people, it is the public school system that continues to serve all comets regardless of who they are or from where they came.

I say a loud "amen" to Troy and hope he will keep preaching his message.

ROBERT STOWELL

Retired Superintendent,

Aiken, S.C.

Lacking Assertiveness

Several statements in the Focus article by Mary Summers and Mary Wells ("Changing the Dynamics of a Board From Hell," March 2000) tend to provide a cop-out for the superintendent.

To consider a board meeting a success if 50 percent of your recommendations are accepted and to propose that the superintendent is not responsible for everything that happens in the school district suggests to me a level of accountability below what should be expected of a superintendent.

While many things will go wrong that the superintendent cannot prevent, effective administrators will take responsibility for those things that happen on their watch. As a former superintendent, if my board supported me only 51 percent of the time, I would have taken that as evidence I was working for the wrong board and ceased my employment there as swiftly and gracefully as possible.

LARRY DOYLE

President,

Lighthouse Consulting Services,

St. Charles, Mo.

Misleading Characterization

The directory of Title I providers that ran with Jay Mathews' article ("Privatizing Title I," May 2000) is misleading as it implies that all the programs listed are part of the privatization process.

Two of the providers listed--Success for All and Reading Recovery--are not-for-profit programs. These programs are conducted solely by public school staff members.

As a retired Title I director, I agree with Jack Jennings' admonition about the need for safeguards when dealing with private companies. I had too many conversations with private company sales people who would guarantee results on a norm-referenced test. Keying program objectives to a particular test is not my idea of a good learning situation for Title I students--however much it appeals to politicians and stockholders.

CARLEY OCHOA

Retired Director of Compensatory Education Programs,

Riverside, Calif.

We appreciated your listing of Reading Recovery as a provider of early intervention services receiving Title I funding ("Privatizing Title I," May 2000). Because the article focused primarily on private businesses providing service, I need to clarify that Reading Recovery is not a for-profit provider.

In addition, the Reading Recovery Council of North America is a non-profit membership association. Readers can learn about us at www.readingrecovery.org.

MARY ANNE DOYLE

President,

Reading Recovery Council of North America,

Columbus, Ohio

Hail to Houston

Thank you to Paul Houston for the sensible and humane position statement in his March 2000 column on zero-tolerance policies ("Being Mindful What You Wish For").

Teachers in our middle school pressured administrators for a zero-tolerance discipline policy: a list written in stone of crimes and consequences. We got the list-and tons of problems--because any teacher worth his or her salt always looks at individual students and circumstances and pleads exceptions to the rule.

SUSAN OHANIAN

Author, One Size Firs Few:

The Folly of Educational Standards,

Charlotee, Vt.

Paul Houston's March 2000 commentary certainly hit home. I believe a great deal of California's reform movement for accountability, no matter how well intentioned, is put forward with punitive motives. The mistaken belief is that punishing and embarrassing students will somehow motivate them sufficiently to overcome everything in their lives.

SUSAN C. PARKS

Superintendent, Baldwin Park Unified School District, Baldwin Park, Calif.

Coverage of Our Partners

As a female superintendent in Alaska, I really appreciated Judith Staples' Focus article ("The Forgotten Partner: The Superintendent's Husband," March 2000).

My spouse is so supportive, and we have a marvelous arrangement!

I hope to see more articles on this subject in the future. Such awareness may enable others to reduce stereotyping and help folks realize that women are assuming such critical roles and that the general public ought to be more cognizant of it.

Eventually, too, I hope no more phone callers ask me in a doubtful tone, "Is THIS the superintendent?"

KAREN L. LIGON

Superintendent, Nome Public Schools, Nome, Alaska

Three More Families

Editor's Note: We're still hearing from families with two or more active superintendents who were overlooked in our compilation in March 2000. The latest are dandies.

Four brothers in the Montesano family serve as district superintendents in New Jersey. They are: Roy in Westwood, James in Dumont, Charlie in Emerson and Joe in Hackensack.